Effects of the Motherly app on parental stress, attachment, and mother-infant interaction in women with postpartum depression: a randomized clinical trial

• Grant number: 22/09630-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2023
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Graça Fatori de Sá
• Grantee: Tatiane Neves Borja
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: The Pos-partum Depression (PPD) affect 19% of women until twelve months after childbirth. Besides depression symptoms, the disorder may affect the maternal performance and high parental stress level; impacting negatively on child psychopathology and development. The scarcity of mental health service and the lack of specific pharmacology treatment are the obstacle for correctly treatment. In this circumstance, the intervention in mental health with and app is a potencial option, especially in development countries, as Brazil. Objectives: Check the intervention effect via motherly app for smartphone in the outcomes of total stress, parental distress, parent-child dysfunctional interaction, difficult child, attachment, competence evaluated by Parenting Stress IndexShort Form (PSI-SF) in the pos-treatment and followup. The effect of Motherly on total stress measured by PSI-SF in relation of the moderators number of pregnancy, Child's age, mother's age, level of PPD, smartphone frequency and interest, ruminative thoughts frequency; and the mediators social support, engagement in the app. Methods: Randomized clinical trial with 264 women with PPD, with age between 18-40 years old, randomized in two groups: intervention (Motherly app) and active control (COMVC app, with informative contents). The participants will be evaluated about physic and mental health, psychologic characteristics and demographic condition.